Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 111 Part 3.djvu/192

 Ill STAT. 2280 PUBLIC LAW 105-114 —NOV. 21, 1997 later than April 1, 1998, and subsequent reports shall be submitted not later than January 1, 1999, and January 1, 2000. (2) The first report under paragraph (1) shall set forth the actions taken by the Secretary to implement section 516 of title 38, United States Code, as added by subsection (a), and other actions taken by the Secretary in relation to the equal employment opportunity system within the Department of Veterans Affairs. (3) The subsequent reports under paragraph (1) shall set forth, for each equal employment opportunity field office of the Department and for the Department as a whole, the following: (A) Any information to supplement the information submitted in the report under paragraph (2) that the Secretary considers appropriate. (B) The number of requests for counseling relating to employment discrimination received during the one-year period ending on the date of the report concerned. (C) The number of employment discrimination complaints received during such period. (D) The status of each complaint described in subparagraph (C), including whether or not the complaint was resolved and, if resolved, whether the employee concerned sought review of the resolution by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission or by Federal court. (E) The number of employment discrimination complaints that were settled during such period, including— (i) the type of such complaints; and (ii) the terms of settlement (including any settlement amount) of each such complaint. 38 USC 516 note. (c) EFFECTIVE DATE. — Section 516 of title 38, United States Code, as added by subsection (a), shall take effect 90 days after the date of enactment of this Act. Subsection (e) of that section shall take effect with respect to the first quarter of calendar year 1998. SEC. 102. DISCRIMINATION COMPLAINT ADJUDICATION AUTHORITY. (a) IN GENERAL.—(1) Chapter 3 is amended by adding at the end the following new section: "§319. Office of Employment Discrimination Complaint Adjudication "(a)(1) There is in the Department an Office of Employment Discrimination Complaint Adjudication. There is at the head of the Office a Director. "(2) The Director shall be a career appointee in the Senior Executive Service. "(3) The Director reports directly to the Secretary or the Deputy Secretary concerning matters within the responsibility of the Office. "(b)(1) The Director is responsible for making the final agency decision within the Department on the merits of any employment discrimination complaint filed by an employee, or an applicant for employment, with the Department. The Director shall make such decisions in an impartial and objective manner. "(2) No person may make any ex parte communication to the Director or to any employee of the Office with respect to a matter on which the Director has responsibility for making a final agency decision.

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